Railroad-spike.



W. DRAPER & C. JOHNSON. RAILROAD SPIKE. APPLICATION nun AIM-1,8 1916.

1,215,259. Patented Feb. 6,1917.

' a rwewto'w I MZZiamDm oer wibwzomzo (756"6071 iiw provided on one side onnron WILLIAM DRAPER, or WAVERLY trownsnrr, ICHEBOYGAN COUNTY, AND CHRISTIAN JOHNSON, 0F ONAWAY, MICHIGAN.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

Specifieati'onoi Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. e, 1917.

Application filed August 8,1916. Serial No. 113,800.

To all whom 2'23 may concern: I

Be it known that we, WILLIAM DRAPER and CHRISTIAN JOHNSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Waverly township and Onaway,respectively, in the counties of Cheboygan and Presque Isle, respectively, and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Spikes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved railroad spike especially adapted to be driven into a railway tie and for holding a rail in place on the tie, the object of the invention being to provide an improved spike of this class which comprises a pair of separable members which may be simultaneously driven into the tie and may be separately removed therefrom and without injury to either the spike or the tie.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination, and arrangement of devices, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a railwayspike constructed and arranged in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same as used in a tie and with the key member, partly withdrawn.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the g in practice may be also provlded with means same.

Fig. 4 is an elevation at rlght angles to Fi 1. hir improved railway spike comprises a and a key member 2. The

main member 1 main member has a chisel point 3 and is with a head 4 at its upper end and with bobs or teeth 5 at and near its lower end. On the opposite side of the main member, near its lower end, is a shoulder 6 and said side of the main member has a dove-tailed longitudinal groove 7.

The key member is slidably fitted on the grooved side of the main member, has a dove-tailed tongue 8 which engages in said groove and said key member is provided at its upper end with a head'9 to bear on the head 4 of the main member. The said head 9 is widened so that its sides overhang the head 4, as at 10.

Before driving the spike, its members 1, 2 are assembled, and said members are si- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by

multaneously driven into the tie by striking blows with a hammer on the head 9, as will'be understood. he chisel point of the main member tips the grain-of the wood downwardly and the bobs or teeth 5 engage in one wall of the opening formed in the tie by the driving in of the spike, as will be understood. The spike may be driven in the frozen timber as well as into timber that is not frozen, since both members of the spike are driven simultaneously.

To remove the spike, the key member is first withdrawn by using a crow bar or other similar implement and engaging the same under the lateralextensions 10 of the head 9. When the key member has been withdrawn, the main member can be then readily tipped outwardly in the opening in the tie left by the withdrawing of the key member, thus causing the'teeth or bobs 5 to be disengaged from; the notches formed thereby in the inner wall of the opening, and the main member can be then readily removed from said opening. The removal of the main member canbe effected without tearing the wood and hence the spike can, if desired, be again placed and driven in the same hole in the tie and will be firmly locked therein.

Our-improved spike may be made'of iron or steel or any other suitable material and to enable it to resist rust.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

A spike comprising a main member having toothed bobs on one side and a head at its upper end, projecting from the same side and afkey member, slidably fitted on the main member and having a head to bear on the head of the main member and also widened to project laterally from and overhang the head of the main member, the said main and key members being provided, one with a dove-tailed groove and the other with a correspondingly shaped tongue to slidably and detachably connect said memberstogether and permit the separate removal thereof. j V

In testimony tures.

whereof weaflix our signa- MR. WILLIAM DRAPER. CHRISTIAN JOHNSON.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. O. 

